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Ireland to Overhaul Citizenship Rules, Extend Residency to 8 Years
(MENAFN) Ireland's government is moving to extend the residency requirement for citizenship from five to eight years and introduce a language test for applicants, in what officials are calling the most sweeping reform of the country's naturalization system in a generation.
"This is bringing us more in line with other European Union member states ... first of all ensuring that the residency would go go from five to eight years. Also in terms of language, English language and some very basic Irish language familiriazation would be aspects of that," Prime Minister Michael Martin told reporters.
"And also ensuring that with citizenship comes the capacity to contibute to the society ... and that the balance is right between independence, self-reliance, as opposed to total dependency."
Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan is set to bring the proposals to Cabinet this week. Under the plan, applicants would need to show proficiency in English or Irish, demonstrate knowledge of Irish civics, and prove they are economically self-sufficient. O'Callaghan described the changes as the biggest overhaul of Ireland's citizenship rules in a generation.
The proposed legislation would also create a separate legal basis for revoking citizenship on public order and national security grounds, and could bar people who have breached immigration law from obtaining citizenship altogether.
The plans have already drawn pushback from opposition lawmakers and immigration advocacy groups. Labour justice spokesperson Alan Kelly questioned the rationale behind extending the residency requirement, while Doras CEO John Lannon called the proposals "quite harsh" and "unnecessary." Lannon said that if a language test is introduced, adequate access to language classes would need to follow.
"This is bringing us more in line with other European Union member states ... first of all ensuring that the residency would go go from five to eight years. Also in terms of language, English language and some very basic Irish language familiriazation would be aspects of that," Prime Minister Michael Martin told reporters.
"And also ensuring that with citizenship comes the capacity to contibute to the society ... and that the balance is right between independence, self-reliance, as opposed to total dependency."
Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan is set to bring the proposals to Cabinet this week. Under the plan, applicants would need to show proficiency in English or Irish, demonstrate knowledge of Irish civics, and prove they are economically self-sufficient. O'Callaghan described the changes as the biggest overhaul of Ireland's citizenship rules in a generation.
The proposed legislation would also create a separate legal basis for revoking citizenship on public order and national security grounds, and could bar people who have breached immigration law from obtaining citizenship altogether.
The plans have already drawn pushback from opposition lawmakers and immigration advocacy groups. Labour justice spokesperson Alan Kelly questioned the rationale behind extending the residency requirement, while Doras CEO John Lannon called the proposals "quite harsh" and "unnecessary." Lannon said that if a language test is introduced, adequate access to language classes would need to follow.
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